Cycle.



' PAATENTBD MAR. 5, 1907.

W. c. KIDNEY.

CYCLE.

MPL10 ATIoN FILED FEB. 21, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

* By P d MV I ATTURNEYS PATBNTED MAR. 5, 1907.--

W. o. KIDNBY.

CYCLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, V1906.

` ATTUHNEU UNITED STATES WILLIAM C. KIDNEY, OF NEW YRK, N. Y.

CYCLE.

Specication of Letters Patent. Application filed February 2l, 1906.Serial No. 302.295.

Patented March 5, 1907.

,To a/ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. KIDNEY, residing in the city, county, andState of New York, have invented a new and Improved Cycle, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to pedal-operatedl cycles of the safety type, andit primarily seeks to provide an improved construction of vehicle of thecharacter stated more especially adapted for racing purposes.

Safety-bicycles as ordinarily constructed are arranged to support thebody of the rider almost directly over the crank-axle by having a seator rest disposed above it and in such manner that the rider maintains asubstantially upright position with respect to the driving power, and itis well known that in cycles having the body so sustained the rider atthe best can obtain only the strength developed from the legs workingunder a double-lever action, the hip-joint muscles, and the knee power.Again, in the use of ordinary type of safet -bicycles, by reason of themanner in which the rider is supported his body forms a pocket orabutment which forms a resistance for the free passing of the air, whichresistance the rider in practice endeavors to minimize by bending theupper part of the body forward and downward to ap roXimately thehorizontal plane. It is well known that such positioning of the bodyrestricts the propelling entirely to the legs and also the capacity ofleg propulsion, since the stroke or free leg and knee action isrestricted by reason of the cramping of the abdominal muscles andpreventing the free use of the legs.

My invention in its generic nature comprehends the formation of aseatless cycle-frame with the handles and the pedal-cranks mountedthereon and relatively so arranged and related that in propelling theriders hands, shoulders, body, and feet will be kept in a substantiallystraight alinement with the propelling-cranks and handle portions and sodisposed that the rider in the operative position lies prone and at suchan angle with respect to the machine as to meet the air resistancepractically head-on, whereby to reduce the said resistance to theminimum.

In its more complete nature my invention embodies an improvedconstruction of framing,whereby when in the operative position therider, while having the full advantage of propelling in theperpendicular line of the body,

power of the rider will also have the advantage of the pushing force ofthe arms and shoulders with the arms substantially straight from thebody, whereby while obtaining a maximum force of pedal or pushing powera similar pushing force is acquired with the hands, arms, and upper partof the body.

My invention further comprehends an improved construction ofbicycle-frame adapted for supporting the body in its perpendicularposition and inclined forward and having means for sustaining the upperpart of the body in the nature of a body -receiving member adjustablewith respect to the framing, whereby the inclination of the body can bereadily provided for to suit the convenience of the rider.

Another and essential feature of my invention lies in the connectionwith a special design of frame whereby to support the rider forwardlyinclined with the body fully eX- tended and a propelling means includingan accumulative gearing, which joins the pedalcrank aXle with therear-wheel axle,- and in its more subordinate features my inventionconsists in certain details of construction and novel arrangement ofparts, all of which will hereinafter be described, pointed out in theappended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which`Figure l is a side elevation of a bicycle embodying the generic featuresof my invention and showing a preferred arrangement of thepower-transmitting-gear connections. Fie. 2 is a similar view showingthe crankaXIe geared directly with the drive-wheel axle. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the framing with the crank-axle, handle-bars, andsteering-head removed. Fig. e is a view of a portion of the frame andillustrating the manner of connecting the body-rest. Fig. 5 is a view ofthe said rest detached from the frame.

In the practical application of myinvention, the front or steering wheelA and the rear driving-wheel B, are of the usual construction and aremounted in the bearing-boxes of the tubular framing in the usual manner.

The framing, the special construction of which forms an essentialfeature of my invention, comprises the front inclined member 1, in whichthe steering-head 2 is mounted and whose forked end 20 carries the frontwheel and whose upper end has a cross-head 21, that connects with theshort handlebars 22.

IOO

IIO

3 designates the bottom bar of the frame, which joins the front memberjust above its fork and which extends longitudinally rearward andinclines downwardly and joins with the journal-box 4 for the crank-axle5, which box is formed at the junction of the bar 3 with the rearframe-bar, which extends upwardly and rearwardly and forms the front arm6 of a triangular-shaped rear extension 6l of the l'raming, thehorizontal member Ga of' which merges with the journalbox 7 for therear-wheel axle 8, which bearing is i'ormed at the junction of the saidiframe member 6EL and the downwardly and rearwardly inclined member 6lol the triangularl trame portion, as clearly shown in the drawing.

9 designates an upper frame-bar, the lower end of which joins with theother traine members at the point where the bottom bar 3 and the member6 join, and at the iront end it connects with the steering-head member1.

I The member 9 in my construction Vlorms a reinforce-bar of the 'l'raineand also the supporting member for the body oit the rider, and forsustaining the body of the rider in a substantially prone position it isdisposed at a suitable incline, so that the body of the rider assumessuch position with respect to the 'l'ront and rear wheels that the leastresistance to atmosphere is presented, and for suoli purpose the saidtop bar is inclined at approximately thirty degrees with respect to theline of draft of the machine, and this inclination in the practicalarrangemei'it oi my bicycle may be modiiied to suit the rider by meansof a rest member 10, which is adjustably and detachably secured upon theupper end portion of the bar 9 in the manner best shown in Fig. 4, byreference to which it will be seen the rest member has its liront endcurved, as at 10, to evenly deflect the air-pressure against the upperpart oi' the riders body, and by raising or lowering the iront end, therear end being hinged to its bar-attaching socket, and adjusting theclamp-screw 11 the rest member 10 can be elevated to -suit therequirement of the rider. 1t will also be noticed the said member 10 isso disposed with reference to the handle inembers that the rider canobtain the best lever age power from the shoulders and arms to pushagainst the said handles, and yet grasp them in a manner to admit ofinstantaneous steering and with the line of push directly in alinementwith the perpendicular of the body and the line of push action on thepedals.

ln Fig. 1 l. have shown the crank-axle equipped with a largedriving-wheel 12, geared through the chain 13 with a small gear-wheel 14on a stub-shaft or axle 15, mounted tion of the main frame and whichalso carries a large wheel 16, geared through the l l l drive-chain 17with the small gear-wheel 18 on the rear drive-wheel axle, as shown,such arrangement oi power-transinitting-gear devices providing aconvenient accumulationspeed gear for ruiming the machine to a highspeed, and by reason oi the triangular shape oi the rear part of theframe great strength is added to the 'irame with but a minimum increasein weight, as well as providing for a convenient means iior transmittingand accumulating the power 'from the frank-axle to the drive-wheel.

TWhile l pre'l'er to provide a gear mechan ism as shown, the drivingpower may be transmitted direct from the crank-axle to the drive-wheelby ordinary chain connection, as shown in Fig. 2.

To i'urther brace the framing and materially increase its strength, lprovide a second top frame-bar 19, which joins at one end 3() to theapex o1 the triangular frame portion, and with its iront end it joinsthe iront steering-head member 3 at a point above where the joint o'lthe lower bar connects therewith, and the said bar 19 is suitablylocated or curved, so that the rider in straddling the frame will haveample room to manipulate his legs while propelling the machine, and tostill strengthen the frame a truss member 24 is secured between thelower and the inclined bar at the point where the inclined bar and theother upper bar cross and join.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,the complete structure and the advantages oi my in* vention, it isbelieved, will be readily apparent.

It will readily appear from the drawings that since the riders hands,shoulders, and feet are in substantial alineinent with the perpendicularoi' the body enables the rider to utilize his maximum strength to thebest advantage and with muscular eilorts of the entire body properlydistributed.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. ln a cycle, a wheeled i'rame having means Jfor sustaining the riderin a prone position, said means comprising the pedalcranks and handlemembers, the latter being disposed in the alinement with the body oi therider and the pedal-cranks.

2. 1n a cycle, a wheel-mounted i'rame, means for sustaining the body oithe rider in a fully-extended position at a forwardly-in clined anglerelatively to the frame, in such position whereby the pedal-action andthe handle-bar pressure of the rider are in straight alineinent with theriders body, as set forth.

3. ln a bicycle, a frame constructed to sustain the rider prone with thebody fully exin the apex of the triangular portended, a pedal-actuatedmechanism connected with the drive-wheel and a steeringhead having itshandles disposed in aline- ICO IIO

ment With the body and the pedal thrust of the rider, as set forth.

4. In a bicycle, a frame for supporting the rider in a prone position, apedal-actuated means for propelling the machine and handle members, thesaid handle members and the propelling means being in straight alinementwith the body of the rider when in a prone position.

5. In a bicycle-trame, means for supporting the riders body forwardlyinclined to the horizontal, said means including handles and pedalmembers located in alinement with the riders body When in a proneposition.

6. In a bicycle having pedal-actuated gearing for propelling themachine, and handle-bars located relatively to the pedals whereby tosustain the body of the rider i'ully extended in a forwardly-inclinedposition.

7. In a bicycle, a frame having a steeringhead at one end, apedal-actuated means for propelling at the other end and meansintermediate the steering-head and the pedal means for sustaining thebody in a fully-eX- tended prone position.

8. In a bicycle, a frame having a steeringhead at one end, a crank-axlemechanism at the other end, and means intermediate said steering-headand crank-axle mechanism for sustaining the body of the rider at aforwardly-inclined position, said means including avertically-adjustable rest for the chest portion ofthe body.

9. A bicycle, a frame having a crank-axle bearing at one end, asteering-head at the other end, an inclined rod that joins thesteering-head and the crank-axle bearing, and means on said rod forsustaining the body of the rider in a fully-extended position, for thepurposes described.

l0. In a bicycle, a frame constructed to sustain the rider in a proneposition, ani having the handle-bars and the pedals in alinement withthe extended body of the rider and having members against Which theshoulders of' the rider can bear, for the purposes described.

WILLIAM C. KIDNEY.

Witnesses:

FRED Gr. DIETERICH, JOHN L. FLETCHER.

